"I, Jesus, have cast fire upon the world and behold! I guard it until it is ablaze."
(The Gospel of St. Thomas; Verse 10)

What is the meaning and also the significance of such claim? Is it possible that something remain intact or untouched in the absence of Jesus even when it be in the hands of the antagonists? Is it possible for him who could scarcely deliver himself from the death-trap that he be able to protect something or be on guard even when he remain in absentia? What did the Son of Mary allude to, when he uttered the word 'fire'? What is being guarded by him? Is it the Christianity which has been proved countervailing even seems insurmountable or is it something else? As it has been declared in the Holy Qur'an that the truth always overcomes falsehood:

"The Truth has arrived and Falsehood perished,
for falsehood is bound to perish."
(17: 81)

"Nay, We hurl the Truth against Falsehood and it knocks out its brain and behold! Falsehood does perish..."
(21: 18)

If we observe the religious situation in the world, do we not come to know to the contrary? Why does the reality seem to cast doubt on the authenticity of Islam? So far as I can observe, Islam has shaken the whole System of religions to its foundations but now we are facing the reverse situation. On the one hand the Muslims sing, fulsomely, the praises of the Holy Qur'an and on the other hand they emasculate the actual Message of the very Divine Book. If the Modern Islam represents the Whole Truth, why did it not spread in the Whole World? Why could the Muslims not able to conquer the earth but half of it? What is the significance of the exultation over their victory? Is it success or failure? Why has the Islamic Faith not hammered the Christian Dogmas? Does it not contradict the above-mentioned qur'anic declaration that the truth always overcomes falsehood? There are only two possibilities: (i) the Qur'an does not manifest the truth or (ii) the Muslims did not proclaim what Qur'an had manifested. If all other religions are based on the falsehood or even have become corrupt to such degree, then, why had they not vanished soon after Islam had appeared? As to why the Doctrines of Muslims are unacceptable to all other sensible nations, I would, assertively, point out that Muslims spoke half of the truth and half of it they concealed. This is the reason that they are still unable to overcome the Message of the Son of Mary. Miraculously, the Holy Qur'an deals in an astonishing way with the conflicts and controversies. It not only draws our attention to the crux but also clears it in words of one syllable. The abovementioned qur'anic account, which seems to raise the scepticism towards Islam, itself is an answer to the confusion which unveils what I have mentioned above that the Muslims Clerics and Scholars did keep the whole truth cloaked in secrecy and deliberately drew a veil over the matter of the expected Messiah just like the Jewish Rabbis who always kept the very affair under wraps and did not let anyone in on. This is one of the major reasons that they do not set foot on foreign soil to preach their religion. In the light of the very limpid statement of the Holy Qur'an, it is as clear as day why the Muslims fail to reach the acme:

"Nay, We hurl the Truth against Falsehood and it knocks out its brain and behold! Falsehood does perish..."
(21: 18)

Truly, what does not flourish, becomes rotten and withers away. Surely, Allah aids those who abide by the truth:

"...If Allah had not hurled people with one another,
the Monasteries, Churches, Synagogues and Mosques would have been razed to the ground
in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundance measure.
Allah will certainly aid those who aid Him.."
(22: 40)

As to why the Muslims are unable to bring the religious Hierarchies round, it might be accessible to us but what about the simple and artless folks of modern and civilised countries, why do they not embrace the Islamic Faith if Muslims have a holistic solution? The fire which was kindled by the Prophet of Nazareth could neither be doused nor quenched, as it appears to be so, unless it be luminescent. The smouldering fire which Jesus had cast upon the world was the Gist of the Messiah, the Divine Light of God (cf. The Gospel of St. John 1: 1, 6-9). A Messiah clears the Way for the Messiah and guards His Signs in a form of his own Personality who was a Prototype of Him whose promise was to be fulfilled in the person of the expected Al-Mahdi. The Glory of God is to be shown in our materialistic world through His divine Self. The Prophet Muhammad had also clued us in on all His necessary Signs. He was reported to have declared that the fire would not be able to burn Him, the water would not drown Him and the sword would not cut Him (Ref. One of the Ahadees found in Sahah Sittah). The hints lead us to none other than the Light which is free of such harm.

Just as the Muslims begin every thing in the name of the Mightiest, Allah began the Creation with the most powerful element, the fire, which is the purest and therefore is sacred. (cf. The scientific theory concerning 'The Big Bang') Also, where had the Energy, which is scientifically proved to be 'eternal', come from? What was 'it' such enormous energy was residing in before the Time & Space had come into existence? How could we able to justify it even when any motion is unimaginable without matter and any matter is unimaginable without motion? So what was in motion? (cf. Vedic Ref. The Lord Shiva as Nataraja, The Lord of Dance.) From a religious point of view, the fire is believed to be the Manifestation of God's Power and Glory and also the Source of Baptism. All religions hold it sacred and attribute it to the Immortals (namely, Hinduism and Zoroastrianism). According to the ancient Religion of Persia, the Zoroastrianism, there exist two opposing Powers, the Power of Darkness (Evil) and the Power of Light (Goodness). Interestingly, the Prince of Darkness, the possessor of Power, who mounted a challenge to God's plan, himself was created from fire and he, therefore, did not make his obeisance to man (of dust) and began to expostulate with God about the issue. As to why he began arguing with the One whom he had known to be God or even why God lent His countenance to his demand, I would discuss the fact and the possibility as regards this crux in some other article.
Well, we confine our discussion to the topic. According to the Hindus the Fire is held sacred, personified by the Goddess Agni, and is said to be the Embodiment of the Glory of God in our materialistic world. Does Qur'an contradict it? If yes, then, let me know where the Prophet Moses had found Allah calling out? (Biblical Ref. The Book of Exodus 3: 2, 3; Qur'anic Ref. 27: 7-9) After 1500 years some saints were reported to have seen the Holy Spirit in a form of fire and they sketched the very event out in their epistle. They were said to be the disciples of Jesus Christ (Acts 2: 1-4). Even on the Occasion of the Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad the Angel Gabriel was, eventually, reported to have uttered these words at the divine threshold by the Throne of God, 'O Prophet! You have to go thither alone, if I took even a single step beyond, my wings will be burnt up' (Ref. The Reminiscences of the Prophet's experience collated in the Islamic literature. cf. 53: 14). Moreover, why are the candles and earthen lamps necessary in the religious activities or rites? Do you not kindle the earthen lamps in the Shrines of Sufis or even throughout the sacred Night of 'Barat'? Does the well-known verse 'Ayat-al-Kursi' (meaning: The Sign of the Seat [of Allah]) allude to anything else than fire? (Ref. 2: 255) During the worship, almost all of the worshippers face the icons which they have created with the hands of their own except the Zoroastrians who place the fire, the Seat of God, in place. (cf. Qur'anic Ref. 56: 71- 73) The Holy Bible also drops a hint when YHWH, God of Israel, styles the King of Persia, named Cyrus, the Anointed One of Him, 'the Christ'
(Ref. The Second Book of Chronicles 36: 22; The Book of Isaiah 44: 28; 45: 1 etc).
Astoundingly, every unclean thing is capable of making all the clean things unclean if touches them except the Light and the Fire and therefore the Prophet John was reported to have cried out from the rooftops that 'the Coming One would baptise you with Light and Fire'(The Gospel of St. Matthew 3: 11). He, the Son of Mary, added on an another occasion:

"Jesus said, 'He who is near to me is near the fire, and he who is far from me is far from the Kingdom."
(The Gospel of St. Thomas; Verse 82)

As we can understand from the wordings of Jesus that the messianic Message concerning the Kingdom of Heavens was under wraps which underlay the messianic mission of Jesus Christ. If Jesus were the King of the promised Kingdom, as it is strictly assumed, would you, the followers of Jesus Christ, have needed seeking it?

"keep on, then, seeking, first the Kingdom
and his righteousness and all these (other) things will be added to you."
(The Gospel of St. Matthew 6: 33)
The inspired word 'fire' has a connotation of the divine Source of Glory which illuminates the Heavens and the earth (cf. Qur'anic Ref 24: 35). Would the Glory of God through the Personage of the Messiah ever cease to brighten the heavens and the earth? Ne'er it occurs. Whereas, the Son of Mary brightened the world as long as he remained in the world but not for evermore:

"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
(The Gospel of St. John 9: 5)

It was the very Glory to which the Prophet John bore witness which had not appeared even in the time of the Son of Mary. (The Gospel of St. John 1: 6-9) The very fire was still smouldering even in the time of the Prophet Muhammad and the Qur'anic Declaration was made through him that the Light had not been aglow as yet (24: 35). It was nothing but the divine Promise concerning the Glory of God which is fulfilled in the one and only Personage who is proved to be no one other than the Promised Al-Mahdi and it is the only 'possible' interpretation of each and every Religion. The Promised Al- Mahdi is the mystical Fire kindled by God that resides in Heavens whose Glory is God the Omnipresent (cf. The Book of Isaiah 60: 19-22; The Book of Psalms 27: 1; Hebrews 12: 29 etc.) You, the Muslims, can never overcome the Message of Jesus Christ unless you acknowledge the promised Al-Mahdi as the expected Christ of all the nations and proclaim it because the promised fire is now ablaze and no one can blot out His Glory. You should take it into your account what I have committed to paper has set the Seal on the matter and what I have uttered is The Last Word.